Making sure Baby sleeps enough?

My son is about 5 1/2 months right now and still going down for a nap about every 2- 2 1/2 hours. Should I be trying to keep him up longer? He sleeps well at night if he's slept a lot during the day. I'm an Exclusively pumping mother so any time I can get to pump and eat is like a day at the spa to me lol.
Also, I would like to hear about other baby schedules, like nap times, waking times, solids, and what time you put your child(ren) to bed at night. When or if you put them on a schedule as well. My hubby says he doesn't want to put our son on a schedule till he can walk, but I'm not sure what to think anymore!
Any help and personal stories would be greatly appreciated.
Wow some great answers! I did use a niple shield with a lactation consultant and my picky son didn't like it as I am very largely breasted so it was awkward and he hates the taste of silicone. It also decreased my milk supply so that he didn't get enough. Oumping is hard but it's almost been 6 months and I'm very proud of that.
I agree about the schedules and I don't want to but am being pressured by my family to put him on a schedule so that when they come visit they can play with him without waking him up, which they do anyway.
Again, wonderful answers!

Comments

devoted_navy_wife says:

December 16, 2009 at 8:57 am

Whatever works for you and the baby would be best. sometimes babies do that for a long time. You can try to keep him up longer maybe play for awhile near the end of that 2 1/2 hrs and then maybe he will sleep longer because he will be more tired. It would also take out a nap during the day…

My son usually wakes about 7 or 8 and has a bottle possibly up for a little while to play and then takes a long nap 3 hrs or so then up for a few hrs and takes another nap ( by now its like 4ish) he then takes another short nap (maybe an hour) around 6 He goes to bed between 9-10 usually and sleeps all night. I never put my baby on a schedule, I feed him when hes hungry and let him nap when hes tired (hes about 6-1/2 mos old now) My thought on the feeding schedule is how would you feel if you were hungry and the person who feeds you wouldnt give you food and you didnt understand why? I think schedules (especially feeding) should be started after they can understand why. like when they can say im hungry and you can say dinner is in 30 minutes. and they kind of understand that. waiting til he can walk is a good idea because by then they can start to understand stuff. As for solids Im going to start doing more but I try to feed him solids at least once a day (now that im a stay at home mom im going to do breakfast and dinner solids along with formula)
eloquent says:

December 16, 2009 at 8:57 am

sounds perfect -put black out blinds in his room for a more restful sleep.
Proudmommy says:

December 16, 2009 at 8:57 am

My baby will be 5 months this week, and she also sleeps better at night if she naps during the day. She sleeps from 10pm-2am, nurses and goes back to sleep until 7am. Then I take her into bed with me and she nurses and sleeps until 9am. Naps at 11am-1. And another little nap from 6pm-7pm. We always have white noise going in her bedroom.
I started her on solids at 3.5 months, she eats anything..carrots, sweet potatoes, rice cereal mixed with breast milk, applesauce, and she eats what we eat, I only feed her solids every other day once a day. I wouldn’t worry about a schedule yet. I’m not sure what your situation is but have you tried using a nipple shield instead of pumping? I used one for 4 months..